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Uses for engine lifts.

akdiesel

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Joined
Aug 8, 2008
Messages
2,617
Location
Wasilla, AK
I have been looking at engine lifts for about two years now and I have more ideas for the lift than just an engine lift.
Who here uses there engine lift for more than just engines, and how sturdy are they when put to capacity?
 
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Bevis

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Joined
Jan 10, 2006
Messages
808
Location
Moore Haven, Florida
I've used mine to move axles around, and several rockwell toploaders. Just about anything that is heavy that needs to be lifted out of the back of my truck I use the lift.
 

ddawg16

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Joined
Jul 11, 2008
Messages
21,005
Location
S. California
And it works quite well for removing a jeep tub....

DSCN0221.jpg
 

Kevin54

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Joined
Jan 12, 2005
Messages
29,341
Location
Urbana, Ohio
I've used mine to take the bed on and off of the Fullsize chevy pickup I had, I used it to raise the front of the garden tractor up when I didn't want to remove the deck to clean it, so just hoist it up enough to get it powerwashed. I've used it to unload an 80 gallon air compressor out of the back of my truck. I've used it to pull a few engines. And I've used it to get all of the dust collected into one corner of the garage
 
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akdiesel

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Joined
Aug 8, 2008
Messages
2,617
Location
Wasilla, AK
This is great. This is exactly the information I was looking for.
I have a 45 gallon ss tank that I made for fueling my equipment and I need to lift it into the back of my truck to go and fill it up and then remove it again when full.

Thanks.
 

Mike of the North

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Joined
Feb 1, 2008
Messages
48
Location
Brandon Twp MI
I used mine to take apart my Bridgeport and load it on a trailer, and unload it and install it in my garage, it has done this 3 times. I used it to pick up the front of my Opel to remove the engine out the bottom of the car.
 

SteveU

Well-known member
Joined
Nov 20, 2006
Messages
1,243
Location
Michigan
I've used mine to pull up 1-1/4" and 2" pipe for a driven well, rap the pipe with a hammer while lifting up on it. It is surprising how much resistance this pipe has coming out of the ground, broke a chain once doing this.
 

goodfellow

Well-known member
Joined
Dec 17, 2006
Messages
2,288
Location
NoVA
I can't recall how many super heavy crates I've unloaded from my pickup truck with the aid of my engine lift. I've loaded woodstoves into the truck and unloaded a milling machine and lathe from the truck with that old engine lift.

It's one piece of equipment that pays for itself in short time --
 

Torque1st

MEMBER EMERITUS
Joined
Sep 14, 2008
Messages
5,668
Location
KC Metro, Kansas
Watch them if you get on uneven ground, they can twist and fail. Even the joint between the garage and drive can cause problems.
 

Brad54

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Joined
Jun 13, 2006
Messages
4,646
I've used mine, with a second rented one, to swap bodies/frames on my '57 Chevy.
Moved a lot of heavy stuff.
Unloaded a 450lb steel plate from the bed of my truck.

And three times, I've slipped a noose around a deer's neck, hoisted up to a comfortable height, and field dressed it in my garage. Works very well...have a small steel garbage can under it lined with a trash bag.
I'm sure the neighbors are convinced I have the reddest neck of any Yankee they've ever run across.

-Brad
 

Jbullfrog

ALLIANCE MEMBER
Joined
Jan 9, 2007
Messages
2,347
Location
Avoca, Iowa
I have a Hoyer invalid lift that is incredibly handy when working by myself. It is all stainless with a 450lb capacity, 3' to 6' lifting range, and the legs spread in and out so you can straddle lawn mower frames to pull v-twin engines and be able to fish them out of the belts. I found mine at a household sale for $25, but they sell on Ebay for $300 plus.

As for my big engine hoist, I use it for pullling bearings from drivelines, and it usually doubles as a hose and cord rack against the wall.
 

nonhog

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Joined
Nov 6, 2007
Messages
2,449
Location
Arizona (Tucson)
Unloading my toolbox from the back of the truck

Used the ram once to hold up a floor as we replaced a beam on a 1st floor
we were working in the basement .
 

Uncle Buck

Banned
Joined
Mar 7, 2005
Messages
9,120
Location
Kansas
I briefly lifted the rearend of a 656 IH tractor (with calcium filled tires) with my cherry picker and an old walker floor jack, I was able to get the tires totally off of the ground before the hook failed. ( I would not suggest doing this)

I have used my picker for too many resons to name, absolutely irreplaceable to me.
 

kobyp

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Joined
Sep 30, 2008
Messages
68
Location
Duncan, Oklahoma
I briefly lifted the rearend of a 656 IH tractor (with calcium filled tires) with my cherry picker and an old walker floor jack, I was able to get the tires totally off of the ground before the hook failed. ( I would not suggest doing this)

I have used my picker for too many resons to name, absolutely irreplaceable to me.


Fluid filled tires ****!!!!!!!!

I work at a Kubota dealer....thank god for forklifts...lol
 
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nissan_crawler

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Joined
Jan 12, 2008
Messages
9,638
Location
Wichita, KS
I've used mine for lifting pallets, crates, toolboxes, axles, etc. in and out of the bed of my pickup more than anything.

With a little creativity, it works great for installing garage door headers, ceiling sheetrock, moving full cabinets around the garage, moving the drill press (almost certain death any other way), etc. Rarely does a week go by that I'm not dragging it out for something. I used it a week ago to hang the garden tractor on it to sharpen the 3 blades. Hung it by the back of it, sharpened the blades without even taking them off, set it back down. Total time to sharpen 3 blades - under 10 minutes.
 

nico

Active member
Joined
Oct 5, 2008
Messages
27
Location
Sweden
I used mine like this once, I was trying to figure out the easiest way to remove the body from the frame.. Other than that I haven't been very creative with it and only used it for its actual purpose ;)

 

rsanter

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Joined
Dec 22, 2007
Messages
18,492
Location
visalia ca
pull the stumps of some small trees I wanted to pull out

using straps around the tree trunk I used it to lift a small traa I was wanting to relocate/transplant that was too big for me to pull out of the hole but not too big to me moved

pick up a lathe
pick up a mill
remove the head and turret of a mill
help pull a really heavy intake off an engine where the intake was a long reach from the fender
pick up axles
pick up steel table


bob
 

ovilla

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Joined
Dec 18, 2005
Messages
2,342
Location
Plainfield, IL
I remember seeing a fence company that used one to pull out concrete fence posts. I also read somewhere where one had been used to lower a turkey into one of those 5 gallon looking deep frier thingies. I rented one and used it to lift up my BendPak ramps during assembly.
 

kbs2244

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Nov 11, 2006
Messages
14,065
I guess you know by now they are for lifting anything too heavy to pick up.
 
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akdiesel

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Aug 8, 2008
Messages
2,617
Location
Wasilla, AK
Yes I do. The last two are exactly what I plan on using one for the first time.
My main concern is the stability when it is being rolled around with the load.
 

eeyore

New member
Joined
Oct 6, 2008
Messages
4
Location
New Berlin Wisconsin
Well I too have lifted the front of a car to put the engine and trans in from beneith (VW Rabbit GTI). But how about this, my father wants to borrow it to pull up his well pump!:thumbup:
 

jumbo61

Well-known member
Joined
Sep 9, 2008
Messages
78
Location
Dysfunctional, NY
Used mine to lift the bodies off of my '41 Caddy and '30 A coupe, by extending the boom. Was a little unstable, but worked out fine. I was alone doing this too. Also worked good for putting engines in the back of my full size van.
 

Thomarann

Well-known member
Joined
Sep 25, 2007
Messages
219
Location
Canada, eh?
Yes I do. The last two are exactly what I plan on using one for the first time.
My main concern is the stability when it is being rolled around with the load.

I managed to roll the engine lift holding a 900 lb BendPak lift around on my exposed aggregate driveway (by myself) and had no stability issues.

Marc
 

Frank Elson

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Joined
Apr 12, 2008
Messages
1,375
Location
Lancashire, UK
done a lot of what the others have said - basically anything too heavy to lift and carry on my own.
Yes it's awkward to move and a little unstable, but, trust me, you take some care and you can stop and move a leg here and there slowly and carefuly, have a rest... which can be difficult if you have a whole gearbox on the end of your arms.
 
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akdiesel

Well-known member
Joined
Aug 8, 2008
Messages
2,617
Location
Wasilla, AK
I managed to roll the engine lift holding a 900 lb BendPak lift around on my exposed aggregate driveway (by myself) and had no stability issues.

Marc

I had to do a double take on your statement. I thought you said you rolled your lift over on its side while lifting the bendpak.
 

jay50

Banned
Joined
Oct 28, 2007
Messages
3,894
My engine lift has helped change my vocabulary in a negative kind of way.
Just trip over your lift a few times while it is parked in the corner of your shop and you know what I mean....tha $@#^$E($(%T^) lift.....
 

swgray

Well-known member
Joined
May 18, 2005
Messages
402
Location
maryland
I used an engine hoist to pick up the iron staircase I built

stairs02.jpg


and placed it where it belonged.

outside11.jpg


I'm not saying it was easy, but I did it by myself. I purposely avoided doing it until my wife left the house, as she's the worrying kind.
 

jay50

Banned
Joined
Oct 28, 2007
Messages
3,894
I used an engine hoist to pick up the iron staircase I built

stairs02.jpg


and placed it where it belonged.

outside11.jpg


I'm not saying it was easy, but I did it by myself. I purposely avoided doing it until my wife left the house, as
she's the worrying kind
.

My wife would not worry; she would just have me wait until she takes out a million $ life insurance policy on me before doing it...then she might offer to give me a "hand" with the task....:lol_hitti:shocking:
 
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